Educational Therapy Vs. Tutoring: Which One Does Your Child Need the Most?

It is natural for parents to envision their children thriving academically, following the typical educational path. However, there are times when a child might need extra support outside of the regular classroom to truly manage demands and shine. In such moments, parents often resort to extra classes or private tutors, hoping to give their child’s grades that much-needed lift. While private tutoring can indeed provide valuable assistance for many students, it’s important to note that despite everyone’s best efforts, some students may not show consistent improvement over time. This is not always a reflection of effort; sometimes, a student simply needs a more tailored approach to how they receive information and learn, like educational therapy.

Both educational therapy and private tutoring offer incredibly valuable help and support, but it’s crucial to understand that they serve distinct purposes. In this article, we will explore the key distinctions of educational therapy. Our aim is to provide parents with a clearer perspective, helping them determine whether their child might benefit from this specialised route or if traditional tutoring remains the best fit.

Tutoring and Educational Therapy: What are They?

Tutoring primarily focuses on reinforcing what children are learning in school and helping them better understand concepts and lessons. For example, if your child is struggling with a tricky math concept like algebraic equations, a tutor will patiently go through the lessons, breaking them down into more manageable parts, and providing extra practice problems. The goal here is to build confidence and ensure they truly grasp the lesson.

Beyond just understanding concepts, private tutors often lend a hand with homework, help students catch up on missed assignments, and even run review sessions to get them exam-ready. It’s a fantastic resource for children who:

• Need additional practice to master what they are learning in the classroom
• Have fallen behind due to changes in their school environment or other disruptions
• Are looking for that extra boost in grades as they prepare for competitive exams like the PSLE or O-Levels

Essentially, tutoring is about direct academic support, focusing on specific subjects and immediate classroom needs.

Now, let us turn our attention to educational therapy, which takes a more holistic and comprehensive approach to a child’s learning journey. Rather than just focusing on “what” a child is learning, educational therapy delves into “how” they learn. It often incorporates multisensory learning techniques and actively works on building essential skills for learning.

Educational therapy is specifically designed to support children who are experiencing learning challenges. This can include difficulties with attention, memory, sensory processing, and executive functioning skills (like planning and organization). An educational therapist doesn’t just provide academic support; they also help develop crucial underlying skills for learning, such as attention and concentration, teach emotional regulation strategies, and foster self-confidence.

This type of therapy is particularly helpful for children who:

• Face persistent challenges in reading, writing, or math despite various efforts, like traditional tutoring
• Have attention difficulties that significantly impact their ability to learn effectively in a classroom setting
• Struggle with following complex or multi-step instructions, which can make school work overwhelming
• Experience frustrations or anxieties directly related to learning, often leading to a reluctance to engage academically
• Want to improve academic performance even more with the use of a more holistic approach to learning
• Want to better prepare for more competitive exams such as the PSLE or O-Level exams with the holistic approach of educational therapists

In essence, educational therapy aims to address the root causes of learning difficulties, equipping children with the tools they need to become more effective and confident learners across all areas of their lives.

How are Educational Therapy and Tutoring Different?

Deciding What’s Right for Your Child: Tutor or Educational Therapist?

​Every child is unique with their own strengths, learning styles, and even their own set of challenges. That is why it’s so important for parents to pay close attention to their child’s individual learning journey and pinpoint any specific difficulties they might be experiencing. Understanding these nuances can help you decide whether a tutor or an educational therapist would be the most beneficial support.

Here are some common signs to look out for that can guide your decision:

Your child may benefit from an Educational Therapist if:

• They show anxiety or significant frustration when faced with learning-related activities.
• They consistently have difficulty maintaining attention during learning tasks.
• They are struggling with reading, writing, and/or math, even after trying various other efforts like extra practice or tutoring.
• They frequently have trouble following multi-step or complex instructions.
• They are looking to improve engagement and performance in academics with the holistic approach of an educational therapist
• They are looking for more holistic support in preparing for national level exams

Your child may benefit from a Tutor if:

• They previously had consistent grades in the classroom but have recently started to fall behind.
• Their teachers report that they have fallen behind on schoolwork, perhaps due to a change in school environment, a period of illness, or a new curriculum.
• They are looking for extra help to boost their preparation for exams and want to reinforce specific subject knowledge.

By observing these signs, you can better understand the underlying reasons for your child’s academic struggles and make an informed decision about the type of support that will truly help them thrive.

How Do Educational Therapists Help Manage Your Child’s Learning Difficulties?

One of the standout aspects of educational therapy is its deeply personalized nature. Educational therapists truly take the time to get to know each child, understanding that effective support hinges on this in-depth comprehension. They don’t jump straight into lessons; instead, they begin by conducting a thorough assessment. This isn’t just about identifying what a child struggles with academically, but more importantly, understanding the underlying difficulties in learning. 

To achieve this, an educational therapist might use a combination of standardized assessment tools and careful clinical observation. This comprehensive evaluation helps pinpoint a child’s unique strengths and weaknesses across various learning domains. 

Equipped with this detailed understanding, the therapist then crafts an individualized lesson plan. This plan is specifically designed to set clear goals for overcoming learning difficulties and to provide tailored strategies that will better support the child’s learning journey moving forward. It is about building a strong foundation, not just patching up immediate academic gaps.

Since every child’s individualized lesson plan is unique, a session with an educational therapist can vary quite a bit from one kid to another. The beauty of this approach is that it is entirely tailored to the child’s specific needs and goals.

For example, our trained educational therapists here at KidzOTC might utilize the well-regarded Orton-Gillingham approach for improving literacy skills. This particular method is a fantastic illustration of multisensory learning in action. It engages children through:

• Auditory experiences (like clearly hearing and distinguishing phonetic sounds).
• Visual aids (such as using flashcards or seeing words written out).
• Kinesthetic activities (like “air-writing” letters or physically sounding out phonetic sounds).

This integrated approach ensures a rich and effective learning experience, especially in areas like reading and spelling.

Beyond specific methodologies like Orton-Gillingham, here are some other things you could expect from typical educational therapy sessions:

• A Playful Approach to Learning with Games: Learning often happens best when it’s engaging! You might see activities like jumping on letter mats to spell out words or various matching games designed to reinforce concepts.
• Sensory-Based Learning: This involves engaging multiple senses to help information stick. Think tracing and writing on a sand tray or forming letters with clay to build a deeper connection to the material.
• Developing Fine Motor Skills for Writing: For those who struggle with handwriting, sessions often include exercises to improve the dexterity and control needed for legible writing.
• Memory-Enhancing Strategies: Therapists help students develop techniques to recall information more easily, such as singing out learnings or playing memory games.
• Building Skills to Tackle Big Projects: Educational therapy equips students with strategies to break down larger tasks into manageable steps, making big assignments less daunting.
• Targeted Exam Strategies: Educational therapy also helps students develop strategies for more competitive examinations, like those at the national level. This means crafting a personalized plan that utilizes their individual capabilities to the fullest, moving beyond generic study tips to directly address the unique demands of highly competitive exams.
• Developing Emotional Regulation Techniques: Learning can be frustrating, and therapists help children understand and manage their emotions, fostering resilience and a positive attitude towards school.
• Utilizing Adaptive Devices and Tools to Support Learning: This can include incorporating modern aids like learning apps or using visual aids to make abstract concepts more concrete.

Educational therapists don’t just provide a few sessions and stop. They offer continuous support through progress monitoring and evaluation. As a child continues to grow and evolve, and as the demands of the school naturally increase, an educational therapist constantly adjusts and fine-tunes strategies. This ensures that the support remains relevant and effective, truly empowering your child to thrive in the academic world.

How Can I Support My Kid Through Their Learning Challenges?

Singapore’s education system is renowned for its high standards and competitive environment. While many children thrive under this academic pressure, it’s perfectly acceptable, and completely normal, for others to need a different approach. Some children effortlessly pick up new lessons, while others simply require extra support to grasp the same concepts. If your child is struggling to keep pace with the average learning curve, please know this is not a reflection of your parenting skills or a limit to your child’s capabilities. Sometimes, children just need a different pathway to learning, like educational therapy.

It is truly unfortunate that these crucial signs may not be easy to spot and are often mistakenly assumed as laziness on a child’s part. When this happens, parents might turn to tutors, which, without addressing the root cause, can sometimes even worsen the situation. Unless parents take the time to look into the core of the problem, the cycle of frustration may simply continue.

Singapore’s education system has made commendable efforts to accommodate children formally diagnosed with learning challenges, for instance, by providing additional exam time to allow them to complete tests at their own comfortable pace. However, children who fall into a “borderline” category, those who struggle but might not qualify for formal interventions, often don’t receive such accommodations. This is where parental observation and proactivity become absolutely vital. It is up to parents to be keenly aware of their child’s unique needs and to proactively seek alternative support, like educational therapy, to ensure their child truly thrives.

At KidzOTC, we have seen that some parents, perhaps hoping for a quick solution, withdraw their child from therapeutic services prematurely. They might expect that their child only needs a little push to “get the ball rolling.” However, it is important to understand that educational therapy is not a quick fix. Instead, it’s a dedicated journey focused on building long-term learning skills and developing strategies collaboratively with your family and your child.

Stopping therapy too soon, or only resuming when exams are just around the corner, often doesn’t give your child enough time to fully benefit from the process. Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child’s progress by consistently following the therapist’s recommendations and guidance, and by reinforcing learning strategies at home. Remember, with patience, persistence, and the right support, every child can find their path to success.

Support Your Kid’s Academic Journey with a Qualified Educational Therapist in Singapore!

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a way that truly suits them. If, after considering the distinctions between private tutoring and educational therapy, you feel that your child could benefit more from the holistic and tailored approach of educational therapy, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at KidzOTC. Our educational therapists are well-versed in supporting students for mainstream assessments, including national exams relevant to the local school context. What’s more, they are also familiar with the IB School Syllabus, ensuring comprehensive support for a wide range of academic pathways.

At KidzOTC, our team of experienced occupational therapists and educational therapists are dedicated to making every child’s learning experience both enjoyable and fruitful. As professionals who frequently encounter similar situations, we understand just how overwhelming this journey can feel for parents. In spite of this, we want you to know that we’ll be there to support you every step of the way, providing the right guidance and expertise.

We offer a comprehensive range of services, including child counseling and guidance, educational therapy, and occupational therapy. Contact us today, and let us help you understand what support is most suitable for your child’s unique needs.

References:

Nicholson, Tom. (2020). Nicholson 2011 – Orton Gillingham approach – what is it and is it research based – LDA Bulletin 43 No 1 May.